Source: iStock The world of politics is ever-changing, no matter the country, spectrum, or political party.
And when it comes to the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, it's no different. The period between the 18th century and 20th century has been particularly interesting— and turbulent. That's why we have created the ultimate list of British Prime Ministers since 1770 (and previous serving individuals).
"The politician who never made a mistake never made a decision." — Prime Minister John Major (Conservative Party, 1990-1997)
Who Was the First Prime Minister of the UK? Because Great Britain has undergone structural changes over the years, there are technically several "first" PMs. But historians agree that while the first person to ever hold the title was Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of the current United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland) was Andrew Bonar Law in 1922.
Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, 1770 to Present Day Read on to find the name, term dates, and political party affiliation of all British Prime Ministers including both the earliest days of the office and the present— from Lord North in 1770 to Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister presumptive in October 2022.
Name Term Lord Frederick North (Tory)1770–1782 Charles Watson-Wentworth, Marquess of Rockingham (Whig)1782–1782 William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne (Whig)1782–1783 William Cavendish-Bentinck, Duke of Portland (Tory)1783–1783 William Pitt, the Younger (Tory)1783–1801 Henry Addington (Tory)1801–1804 William Pitt, the Younger (Tory)1804–1806 William Wyndham Grenville, Baron Grenville (Whig)1806–1807 William Cavendish-Bentinck, Duke of Portland (Tory)1807–1809 Spencer Perceval (Tory)1809–1812 Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool (Tory)1812–1827 George Canning (Tory)1827–1827 Frederick Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich (Tory)1827–1828 Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (Tory)1828–1830 Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (Whig)1830–1834 William Lamb, Viscount Melbourne (Whig)1834–1834 Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (Tory)1834–1834 Sir Robert Peel (Conservative)1834–1835 William Lamb, Viscount Melbourne (Whig)1835–1841 Sir Robert Peel (Conservative)1841–1846 Lord John Russell, 1st Earl (Whig)1846–1852 Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (Conservative)1852–1852 George Hamilton-Gordon, Earl of Aberdeen (Conservative)1852–1855 Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (Whig and Liberal)1855–1858 Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (Conservative)1858–1859 Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (Whig and Liberal)1859–1865 Lord John Russell, 1st Earl (Liberal)1865–1866 Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (Conservative)1866–1868 Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield (Conservative)1868–1868 William Ewart Gladstone (Liberal)1868–1874 Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield (Conservative)1874–1880 William Ewart Gladstone (Liberal)1880–1885 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (Conservative)1885–1886 William Ewart Gladstone (Liberal)1886–1886 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (Conservative)1886–1892 William Ewart Gladstone (Liberal)1892–1894 Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (Liberal)1894–1895 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (Conservative)1895–1902 Arthur James Balfour (Conservative)1902–1905 Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (Liberal)1905–1908 H. H. Asquith (Liberal)1908–1916 David Lloyd George (Liberal)1916–1922 Andrew Bonar Law (Conservative)1922–1923 Stanley Baldwin (Conservative)1923–1924 James Ramsay MacDonald (Labour)1924–1924 Stanley Baldwin (Conservative)1924–1929 James Ramsay MacDonald (Labour and National Labour)1929–1935 Stanley Baldwin (Conservative)1935–1937 Neville Chamberlain (Conservative)1937–1940 Winston Churchill (Conservative)1940–1945 Clement Attlee (Labour)1945–1951 Sir Winston Churchill (Conservative)1951–1955 Sir Anthony Eden (Conservative)1955–1957 Harold Macmillan (Conservative)1957–1963 Sir Alec Douglas-Home 1963–1964 Harold Wilson (Labour)1964–1970 Edward Heath (Conservative)1970–1974 Harold Wilson (Labour)1974–1976 James Callaghan (Labour)1976–1979 Margaret Thatcher (Conservative)1979–1990 John Major (Conservative)1990–1997 Tony Blair (Labour)1997–2007 Gordon Brown (Labour)2007–2010 David Cameron (Conservative)2010–2016 Theresa May (Conservative)2016–2019 Boris Johnson (Conservative)2019–2022 Liz Truss (Conservative)2022–2022 Rishi Sunak (Conservative)2022–
Other Notable Prime Ministers in Great Britain from 1721 Sir Robert Walpole (Whig, 1721-1742); Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington (Whig, 1742-1743); Henry Pelham (Whig, 1743-1754); Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle (Whig, 1754-1756); William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (Whig, 1756-1757); Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle (Whig, 1757-1762); John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (Tory, 1762-1763); George Grenville (Whig, 1762-1765); Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (Whig, 1765-1766); William Pitt, the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham (Whig, 1766-1768); Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (Whig, 1768-1770).
